NEW DELHI, May 26: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted jailed Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, interim bail from June 25 to June 30 so he can attend his father’s 40th-day rites, officials said.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain ordered Rashid to surrender on June 2 after the expiry of his current interim bail, which was granted on May 18 to attend his father’s last rites. The court said the June 25–30 bail will carry the same conditions as his present release period.
Rashid’s senior counsel had sought an extension to allow him to take part in ceremonies in Srinagar on the 40th day following his father’s burial. When the May 18 bail was granted, the bench imposed several conditions, including that Rashid be accompanied by at least two plainclothes police officers from the start of his journey from Tihar Jail until his return. He was permitted to visit the burial ground or other places of worship but was barred from moving elsewhere from his residence.
Earlier, on April 28 the court had granted him one week’s interim bail to meet his ailing father; that period was later extended to May 10 when his father was moved to AIIMS in Delhi for treatment.
Rashid is currently lodged in Tihar Jail and is facing trial in a terror-funding case. He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in 2019 in a 2017 case and was later chargesheeted. A special NIA court framed charges in March 2022 under sections 120B, 121 and 124A of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
